The protection of valuables that are accumulated and used by businesses and individuals on a daily basis is of increasing concern. Over time, both individuals and businesses accumulate valuable assets that must be protected. Insurance attempts to shelter the financial effect of losses, but is not directly concerned with returning a missing item to its rightful owner. The accumulation of valuable and often times expensive items brings with it an element of risk.
In the past, the systems that have been offered to protect valuables have had significant weaknesses. A weakness of most systems, including central station monitored alarm systems, is that a missing item cannot assist in its own recovery. A second weakness is that systems have typically been passive, and rely on sound to foil or thwart an attempted theft. Additionally, these systems are totally dependent on law enforcement to recover a missing item. In large urban areas, law enforcement has too many other responsibilities and distractions to respond and actively pursue each theft.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a system to obtain the recovery of a lost or stolen article.
It is another object of the invention to provide an economic sysytem of using a lost or stolen article to assist in the recovery of the article.
Briefly, the invention provides a method to inventory, locate and recover any protected item and is referred to herein as the PADlox system.
A protected item is one that has been equipped with the appropriate electronic tracking device.
A key element of the PADlox system is its ability to allow a missing or stolen item to assist in its own recovery. A combination of electronic tags and application software enables the owner to secure a protected item and to automatically have the item communicate an unwarranted attempt to move the item. Simply stated, the PADlox system is not a passive system. The typical alarm system relies on sound to thwart an attempted break-in. PADlox incorporates real time communication with application software working together to locate a missing item. Once a missing item has been located, law enforcement can effectuate recovery.
The PADlox system empowers the owner of a missing item with the ability to quickly and accurately locate that item from any Internet connection, anywhere in the United States. PADlox provides law enforcement with the information needed to recover the item.
The ways in which the protection provided by PADlox differs from conventional approaches is significant. The two must important elements of PADLox are:
(1) empowers the owner of a protected item with the ability to locate that item.
(2) allows the missing item to assist in its own recovery.